Neanderthals had larger brains than modern humans do, and a new study of a Neanderthal child's skeleton now suggests this is because their brains spent more time growing. Modern humans are known for having unusually large brains for their size. It takes a lot of energy to develop such large brains, and previous research suggested that the high cost of modern-human brain development was a key reason why human growth in general is slow compared with that of other primates.

“It is high time the world made an all-out effort to stop the ongoing pogrom against Myanmar’s minority Rohingya...,” writes Mohammad Amjad Hossain. “The pogrom resembles those crimes perpetrated against Jews.... The military junta of Myanmar torches Rohingya villages, stops aid to Rohingya camps, and restricts Rohingyas’ movement.... [The United Nations] secretary-general ... must send peace-keeping forces to Rakhine State.... The Security Council should consider imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar’s government as well.... Further bloodshed must be stopped and this manmade crisis resolved. “The hypocrisy of Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is astounding,” states an editorial.

Babies who had just witnessed an adult struggle with a different kind of task a few seconds earlier, such as removing a key chain from a carabiner, tried harder to overcome their own little challenge, compared with babies who didn't witness such a struggle. The findings, published today (Sept. 21) in the journal Science, suggest there is "potential value in letting children 'see you sweat,'" the researchers wrote in their paper. Previous studies have shown that school-age children who persevere through modestly complicated tasks tend to be more successful academically later in life.

People with standard vision can see millions of distinct colors. But human language categorizes these into a small set of words. In an industrialized culture, most people get by with 11 color words: black, white, red, green, yellow, blue, brown, orange, pink, purple, and gray. That’s what we have in American English. Maybe if you’re…

By 2040, a hundred people will live on the Moon, melting ice for water, 3D-printing homes and tools, eating plants grown in lunar soil, and competing in low-gravity, "flying" sports. To those who mock such talk as science fiction, experts such as Bernard Foing, ambassador of the European Space Agency-driven "Moon Village" scheme, reply the goal is not only reasonable but feasible too. At a European Planetary Science Congress in Riga this week, Foing spelt out how humanity could gain a permanent foothold on Earth's satellite, and then expand.

“It is high time the world made an all-out effort to stop the ongoing pogrom against Myanmar’s minority Rohingya...,” writes Mohammad Amjad Hossain. “The pogrom resembles those crimes perpetrated against Jews.... The military junta of Myanmar torches Rohingya villages, stops aid to Rohingya camps, and restricts Rohingyas’ movement.... [The United Nations] secretary-general ... must send peace-keeping forces to Rakhine State.... The Security Council should consider imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar’s government as well.... Further bloodshed must be stopped and this manmade crisis resolved. “The hypocrisy of Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is astounding,” states an editorial.

MOSCOW (AP) — Just days after a monument honoring AK-47 designer Mikhail Kalashnikov was unveiled in Moscow, workers have removed a part of it that showed a German weapon that many believe inspired the renowned assault rifle.

“It is high time the world made an all-out effort to stop the ongoing pogrom against Myanmar’s minority Rohingya...,” writes Mohammad Amjad Hossain. “The pogrom resembles those crimes perpetrated against Jews.... The military junta of Myanmar torches Rohingya villages, stops aid to Rohingya camps, and restricts Rohingyas’ movement.... [The United Nations] secretary-general ... must send peace-keeping forces to Rakhine State.... The Security Council should consider imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar’s government as well.... Further bloodshed must be stopped and this manmade crisis resolved. “The hypocrisy of Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is astounding,” states an editorial.

Regarding the Aug. 21 Monitor Daily story “Home prices, and a thought shift, give ‘small living’ a boost”: Interesting concept. My friend has done it, downsizing and living in a tiny apartment. Decluttering would be a two-month, full-time job, which I haven’t been willing to devote myself to at this point.

“It is high time the world made an all-out effort to stop the ongoing pogrom against Myanmar’s minority Rohingya...,” writes Mohammad Amjad Hossain. “The pogrom resembles those crimes perpetrated against Jews.... The military junta of Myanmar torches Rohingya villages, stops aid to Rohingya camps, and restricts Rohingyas’ movement.... [The United Nations] secretary-general ... must send peace-keeping forces to Rakhine State.... The Security Council should consider imposing economic sanctions on Myanmar’s government as well.... Further bloodshed must be stopped and this manmade crisis resolved. “The hypocrisy of Myanmar’s de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is astounding,” states an editorial.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Archaeologists, professors and other researchers on Friday called for more protections of an expansive area surrounding Chaco Culture National Historical Park, saying increased oil and gas development has the potential to destroy parts of the landscape that could provide a better understanding of the ancient civilization that once inhabited the region.

Aside from, say, a total solar eclipse, the celestial event that most easily sparks the human imagination is the aurora borealis, or the northern lights. As we kick off autumn (and, according to NASA, aurora season), we're exploring the role that the northern lights have played in people's lives throughout history. Given the brilliance of the northern lights, just about every group of ancient people who encountered them found the sight astounding and sought to ascribe it meaning.